Page 49 of A Duchess Untouched

Anxiety coiled within Selina at that. She was afraid there might be some truth in what her grandmother was saying. Even though he had confessed that he was doing it for Robert, this still did not explain why he had spent years looking for a common woman. In any case, Selina felt defeated.

“As I said, I cannot force him, Grandmama.”

“Who said anything about forcing him? The man evidently has his own mind. Men can be terribly headstrong,” Lady Marlow retorted. “No. You do not force your husband, Selina. You will make him jealous.”

“Jealous?” Selina echoed, blinking. A dubious frown formed on her lips. “I do not think Matthew is capable of being jealous. He mostly tends to avoid me. So, he will hardly notice if I am speaking to another man.”

“Oh, that might seem the case,” Lady Marlow said, chuckling. “But all men act indifferent until they realize there is a threat that what they have might be taken by someone else. A man is possessive by nature. Give him something rare he can keep in a box, and he will let it sit at his desk for weeks, nay, years. Now, if another gentleman comes for a visit and reaches out his hand to touch it, or even simply admire it, he will begin to show his true feelings and keep it closer.”

“Is that so?” Selina asked, not daring to have any sort of hope about the matter. Yet, there was that little flutter in her chest.

“It is a fact, dear girl,” Lady Marlow confirmed. “I have already tested your husband on this, though you were probably too drunk to remember it.”

“Now that you mention it, I had accidentally touched Oliver with my foot, and Matthew had been furious. Especially when he had seen me talking to him alone.”

“See? I know exactly what I am talking about. Your own grandpapa almost killed another gentleman in a duel behind Hyde Park once. He claimed not to be the jealous sort, but he was breathing fire when the other man dared hold my hand for longer than he deemed acceptable.”

“A duel?” Selina echoed with wonder, smiling at the thought of her gentle grandfather fighting in one.

“Over a hand that lingered during a dance,” the Baroness said smugly. “Because he had been so jealous, the month after that was the best of my life. You are beautiful, so you will not have trouble attracting attention. And when he loses control around you, you will get what you want.”

Selina stared at her grandmother, wondering how much truth lay in those words. She truly hoped she was right.

“Tomorrow evening, you will not cower in a corner like a wallflower. You never were, and you should not plan to become one. You will not poke at drinks at the refreshment table. Instead, you will accept dance offers from the handsomest gentlemen in the room. When you are dancing, you will laugh as if the man has just told you the wittiest joke. Smile at their empty flattery and pretend to listen to every word. This will only work if you completely ignore your husband.”

“Ignore him?” Selina did not think that sounded like a good idea. Her chest tightened, but not entirely from fear. She also felt excited to apply her grandmother’s advice. “Do you not think that ignoring my own husband at a ball, while dancing with other men, will cause people to gossip?”

“Oh, but you will be doing nothing scandalous. Simply be cordial and agreeable with those around you. Still, you should enjoy every single moment of it, of him being forced to watch you as you dance with someone else. Since he does not show concern about an annulment, show him what the result will be if he does not do something to prevent it.”

The plan sounded out of character for her. However, Selina could not think of any other ideas at this point. All her own had failed her so far.

“I will do it, Grandmama,” she whispered, tilting her chin up. “And I hope you are right.”

“Has my advice ever failed you, dear?” Lady Marlow kissed Selina on the cheek.

Chapter 24

“Have you realized that you are trying to tear that glove off your hand?” Oliver asked. “Matthew, are you listening?”

The Duke could barely register his younger brother’s amused voice. He looked down at his hands, and sure enough, his glove was almost torn to pieces.

“I am merely too focused on the crowd, and the glove is uncomfortable,” he grunted.

“Are you really focused on the crowd, or are you treating the place like a battleground? Unclench your jaw and remember it is just a ball.”

Matthew acknowledged Oliver’s concern, but his attention was elsewhere. He was not engrossed by the gowns and diamonds swirling around as guests mingled with friends. Instead, his gaze shifted toward where the servants were moving.

What hallways and staircases did they use?

Would maids drift close enough to the ballroom?

How could he find an opportunity to approach Mary and talk to her?

She was supposed to be working as a maid in the house, so he had to find her and ask her about Robert.

Matthew felt that every moment he spent standing at the edge of the dance floor was another minute wasted. He could have used that time to find his way into the servants’ quarters and fulfill his promise to Robert.

“Are you still with me, Matthew?” Oliver asked. This time, there was real concern in his voice. “Do you know where you are right now?”